<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Meet Me at Tokyo Station by alpha_hydra</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28278174">Meet Me at Tokyo Station</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/alpha_hydra/pseuds/alpha_hydra'>alpha_hydra</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Free!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Christmas, M/M, Mutual Pining, New Year's Kiss, Quarantine, Roommates, Sharing a Bed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 22:26:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,437</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28278174</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/alpha_hydra/pseuds/alpha_hydra</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's December 2019, and Rin needs a place to stay for the holidays.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Matsuoka Rin/Nanase Haruka</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Rin &amp; Haru Week</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Can y'all believe one year ago the big news was the fires in Australia? That feels like 20 years ago now. I wrote the first two chapters of this exactly s year ago, then depression hit pretty bad. Now, just in time for RinHaru week, I realized this could turn into some 2020 quarantine shenanigans. Each chapter will be based off the prompt for the day. Day one's theme is: connection.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Haru wakes to a phone call in the middle of the night. The sound of it startles him from a very weird, very vivid dream about badgers and seagulls, the details of which are slipping through his fingers even as he gropes in the dark for his phone. It’s nearly unheard of for Haru to get a call this late at night. Most everyone that knows him knows he scarcely answers his phone, and that he sleeps like the dead. Honestly, it’s amazing the buzzing of his phone on vibrate managed it. </p><p>He doesn’t bother to open his eyes as he answers the call. </p><p>“What is it,” he mumbles, half-expecting Makoto’s voice to answer, surprised, or exasperated about something Haru may have forgotten.</p><p>“Haru,” the voice says, and Haru’s heart stutters to a stop. It’s not Makoto. </p><p>“Rin?” Haru asks, his eyes wide open now.</p><p>A sharp breath at the other end of the line tells Haru that maybe Rin wasn’t expecting him to answer either. Haru sits up, his eyes bouncing around the corners of the darkness, like maybe he could spot Rin in his room if only he tried hard enough. </p><p>“Hey,” Rin’s voice says, thousands of miles away and pressed up against his ear both. Haru has no idea how much he missed his stupid voice until this moment, where his heart clenches painfully around that single word. Another deep breath. Haru wonders if he’s nervous. “Haru, hey. You. You still living in Tokyo?”</p><p>“Yeah.” </p><p>Haru pulls himself out of bed. There’s a nagging in his gut that makes him peek out the window as if expecting Rin to be standing there five floors down. He lives far enough away from the heart of the city that the streets are mostly deserted; the lights out.</p><p>“I’ve still got another year of schooling left.”</p><p>“That’s what I thought.”</p><p>He doesn’t elaborate. Haru waits, listening to the quiet sound of his breathing as the only clue that he’s still on the line. A flash of annoyance builds up in his stomach. Why would he ask if he already knew? Why would he call at--Haru checks the time--two in the morning only for this?</p><p> </p><p>“Why did you call, Rin?” he finally asks. </p><p>“Can’t a guy miss hearing his friend’s annoying voice?”</p><p>“I miss you all the time,” Haru dismisses. </p><p>A gasp on the other end of the line. Haru feels a blush start creeping up his face. He’s grateful now that he’s on the phone. It seems 2 am is a time when words leave his mouth without any permission from his brain.</p><p>“Haru,” Rin breathes over the line. Haru can hear some rustling, some uneven footfalls. A heavy thud that might be a door closing somewhere. Just what was Rin doing?</p><p>“Rin--”</p><p>“They’re evacuating Sydney,” Rin says in a rush. “The fires. Uh. From the smoke. You know about--”</p><p>“Of course I do,” Haru snaps. It feels like an insult to think he wouldn’t. “I hadn’t heard that they’d reached you.”</p><p>“It’s the smoke,” Rin says. “And it’s not a city-wide evacuation. Just the swim team. It’s voluntary, but my coach said we shouldn’t risk it.” </p><p>“Yes,” Haru says, and steals a glance to the calendar pinned to his wall. </p><p>It’s mid-December, and Haru thinks it must have been hell trying to book a flight on such short notice. He tries to ignore the flight information he’d penned in neatly under this Friday. It had been crossed out less than three days ago, his own angry, black marker scribbled over it to remind him of his own misplaced frustration. He’s not thinking about it now. </p><p>“Where will you go? When? For how long?”</p><p>He wracks his brain, trying to remember where Gou might have gone for the Winter holiday. Iwatobi, maybe? To be with her mom? Rin might be able to have a nice family holiday, he thinks with not a little bitterness. </p><p>“Ah,” Rin says sheepishly, and Haru tries to quell the sudden pounding of his heart. Because he knows, without a doubt, that the next words out of Rin’s mouth will be: “Well. I’m at Haneda now.”</p><p>Haru turns and goes straight to his dresser, already groping for a pair of sweats in the dark. He shuffles through his sock drawer as well, searching by feel for his warmer pair. They’ll need to keep out the December chill, after all. </p><p>“I guess I should have called beforehand,” Rin says over the phone. His voice has an edge to it, maybe anxiety, maybe worry. Prompted, no doubt, by Haru’s continued silence. “And I get if you’re busy. I can find a place. And  I know it’s a lot to ask for the holidays, but. I was hoping--”</p><p>“There’s a train that will get you to Tokyo, right,” Haru interrupts. </p><p>There’s a pause again, before Rin says, “Yes. Hamamatsucho can get me to Keihin-Touhoku, then to Tokyo Station.”</p><p>Something in Haru’s stomach is bubbling with excitement. Joy even. The words of it sound rehearsed. Sounds like maybe Rin had looked it up, too afraid to ask but still full of hope. </p><p>“I’ll meet you at Tokyo Station. Try not to get lost.”</p><p>There’s a huff of breath on the line, a half-aborted laugh maybe. “It speaks to Rin’s frazzled state of mind that he’ doesn’t even have a retort ready. Maybe less frazzled and more relieved, Haru reconsiders. “I’ll. I’ll see you soon.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Haru replies, and then he has to hang up before the clenching, overpowering feeling in his chest makes him say something incredibly stupid. </p><p>He doesn’t think as he pulls on his jacket and laces up his shoes. Doesn’t think as he closes the door to his apartment with a snap, nor when the lock clicks into place. It’s a 15-minute walk to the train station, and Haru tries no to think then, either. </p><p>But, try as he may, the thoughts keep creeping in. </p><p>It’s the doubt that gets him. Halfway to the station, he wonders if Rin had even wanted what Haru inferred from their conversation. What if he’d expected Haru to be in Iwatobi? What if he was calling for Haru to get him to his mother’s house; so late at night, it would have been rude to wake her up. Surely, he would rather spend the unexpected time off with his family?</p><p>That would surely be it, another sinister thought says in his head. There must be something wholly off-putting about Haru himself. After all, his parents had cancelled their plans to come visit for the holidays as well. It doesn’t make sense that Rin would ask after Haru and Haru alone.</p><p>But then again, Rin has never made much sense to him. Rin’s smile comes to him now, unbidden, and he can’t deny the joy he feels at the thought of seeing it up close again. And, most importantly, Rin hadn’t said no. </p><p>Their whole relationship--friendship, he means--seems to consist of scenarios where they both look for the ‘no.’ They’re always pushing, pushing a little bit further to look for a boundary that doesn’t seem to exist. </p><p>It’s always been--</p><p>Swim with me</p><p>Race me</p><p>Come with me </p><p>(to Australia,</p><p>The beach</p><p>The Olympics)</p><p>Swim with me</p><p>Swim with me</p><p>
  <i>swim with me</i>
</p><p>Yes. </p><p>It seems like Haru can’t help but say yes. To anything, if it’s Rin who asks. </p><p>It startles a flicker of hope in his heart. Because Rin is the same. If Haruka’s always giving in, then so is Rin, waiting and watching and so eager for all of Haru’s yeses. </p><p>That little flicker of hope keeps him grounded. Makes him stay. The train arrives less than nine minutes later, and he decides to text Rin, just in case he’s read everything wrong. </p><p>
  <i>I’m on the train.</i>
</p><p>It’s less than a full minute before his phone buzzes with a response. </p><p>
  <i>Me too. See you soon</i>
</p><p>Haru’s lips quirk up in just the beginning of a smile.  His anxiety evaporates within moments, and he leans his head against the glass window. He hopes he doesn’t nod off in the 25-minute trip. </p><p>*</p><p>It’s easy to spot Rin when he steps off the train. Rin’s hair is almost shocking amidst a sea of dark beanies and hats, uncovered as it is. He’s in a thin-looking sweater(bright cerulean, the color of the sky on a sunny midsummer day), a pair of sunglasses still perched on his head, and light-grey joggers rolled up to the knee. Haru’s astonished the man isn’t shivering. </p><p>His skin is a sun-kissed golden brown, and just looking at him makes Haru feel like a warm summer breeze is snaking around his ankles. It’s jarring how out of place he looks. How unprepared. He wonders just how long ago he’d been told to leave Sydney. </p><p>Rin must be searching for him in the thin crowd too; their eyes meet in an instant. He smiles his signature razor-sharp grin that feels like the middle of a scorching Australian summer. Then he rushes towards Haru, and a long-forgotten part of Haru’s heart--the aching, lonely part--fills up at the sight of it. His mouth curls up in a smile of its own, unbidden.  </p><p>“You didn’t get lost,” Haru tells him, calling across the station.</p><p>“Shut up!” Rin calls back through a laugh. “You’re ruining the moment!”</p><p>“Were we having a moment?” Haru wonders to himself.</p><p>Rin skids to a halt in front of him, the smile never wavering from his face. He takes another step forward and grabs Haru roughly by he shoulder. Then, he looks him up and down at arm’s length, his eyes inscrutable as ever. </p><p>“Between us?” Rin says, shark-grin firmly in place. “Always.” </p><p>They stare at each other some more--long enough that Haru thinks Rin must be uncomfortable-- until Rin huffs another laugh and crushes Haru to his chest. Haru’s arms come up automatically and clutch at Rin’s waist, and his arms tighten impossibly around Haru’s shoulders. It feels like he could disappear here in the span of Rin’s arms, and it would be okay. Haru takes a deep breath, politely ignoring the stale airplane smell hanging from Rin. He squeezes once more before letting go.</p><p>“We’ll miss the last train back,” Haru says, grabbing the duffel bag at Rin’s feet and ignoring both the tear tracks along his face as well as the charming flush of his neck. </p><p>The train arrives less than two minutes later. Haru files on after Rin, and they sit side-by-side on a near-empty car. The adrenaline from seeing Rin again starts to wear off about 10 minutes in, and he finally nods off. He remembers resting his head lightly on Rin’s shoulder, and the delicate breath of noise Rin had made just before falling asleep.</p><p>Then, a soft tapping on the bridge of his nose. When Haru opens his bleary eyes, for a moment all he can see is the startling red of Rin’s eyes. Haru had shifted a little as he slept, and he hadn’t thought about how close he was to Rin. Their noses are almost touching.</p><p>“Come on,” Rin says, though his voice is hushed. “I can’t get there on my own.”</p><p>“You could if you’d visit,” Haru says stubbornly, but he does shake his head a bit to clear it of sleep-fog and look around the car again, to get his bearings. “What stop is next?”</p><p>“Okachimachi,” Rin replies, although now he’s frowning. “I’m not the only one who doesn’t visit, you know. That’s a two-way street.”</p><p>“This is our stop.” He stands, and it’s only after staring down at Rin’s unhappy scowl that Haru offers up his hand. </p><p>Rin does eventually take Haru’s hand, but the scowl doesn’t seem to leave his face, even after they’ve started the walk back to Haru’s apartment. He hasn’t stopped holding Haru’s hand, though. Haru pretends not to notice.</p><p>“I can try,” Haru finally says, breaking five minutes of silent walking. Rin’s eyes snap to him in an instant. “To visit. If it’s something you want.”</p><p>“It is,” Rin says quickly. There’s a blush crawling up his neck again, a soft smile on his face. He squeezes Haru’s hand quickly, and Haru squeezes back. “I’d like that.”</p><p>*</p><p>Haru’s apartment is on the fourth floor, at the end of the hall. It’s not much, but then again it suits his needs just fine. His parents would almost certainly have opinions on the space, but despite the fact that he’s lived here for going on two years now, they have yet to make the time to visit him. </p><p>It seems that whatever energy Rin may have had is lost on the walk, because he trails in after Haru zombie-like and doesn’t even bother looking around the place. Haru doesn’t pretend at playing host, and instead leads the other directly to his room. Rin follows him, and has already set his backpack and duffel bag down before he blinks his eyes, as if waking from a dream.</p><p>“This is your room,” Rin says.</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“This is your bed,” he adds, as if Haru is being stupid.</p><p>“Yes,” Haru replies, in the same condescending tone.</p><p>They stare at each other for a moment. </p><p>“You want me to sleep in your bed,” Rin repeats. When Haru looks at him like he’s stupid, he adds, “With you.”</p><p>“We’ve done it before.”</p><p>Rin sighs loudly, and brings an arm up to run through his hair, or maybe just grab big fistfuls like he’s frustrated. Haru wishes he’d turned the light on, because it’s just dark enough here that he can’t quite make out Rin’s expression. </p><p>“I mean yea, technically,” Rin finally says. His voice is just a touch hysterical. “But it was only for one night!”</p><p>“Are you planning on staying for more than one night?” </p><p>Silence. Haru doesn’t quite know how to tell him that he’d very much like it if Rin stayed longer. </p><p>“Rin?” he tries again. </p><p>It’s the silence that finally prompts Haru to flick on his bedroom lamp. Dim yellow light floods the room, which reveals Rin blushing fiercely and looking somewhat sheepish. </p><p>“Let’s just go to sleep,” Rin says. “We can talk about it in the morning.”</p><p>“You’re the one making a fuss.”</p><p>But Rin’s already collapsed heavily at the foot of Haru’s bed, his earlier argument seemingly forgotten. Haru tries not to look too smug at getting his way. After a moment where Haru stares down at Rin star-fished on his bed, he starts to consider the consequences of asking him to bed for an indeterminate amount of time. His insides feel weird about it; Haru can’t quite figure out what it means.</p><p>“You aren’t going to shower?” he can’t help but ask. </p><p>One red eye squints open suspiciously, like he knows Haru’s being bratty. </p><p>“You said we should go to sleep already.”</p><p>“You smell like six different airports,” Haru counters.</p><p>At that, Rin sighs. He stretches his arms and legs out for a moment, so they look like they go on for ages, before taking another deep breath. He pushes himself up quickly, then lumbers out into the hallway.</p><p>“The towels are--”</p><p>“I’ll figure it out,” Rin says with a dismissive wave of his hand.</p><p>Haru considers the exhausted slump of his shoulders, then the single shelf in his bathroom stacked neatly with his clean towels and decides he probably will just figure it out for himself. There’s only one other room in his apartment anyway; he doubts Rin will get lost finding the bathroom. </p><p>Eventually, Haru decides it would be weird if Rin gets out of the shower and Haru is still standing exactly where he left him, staring at the bathroom door. So he changes back into his pajama pants--after a long moment, decides to keep his shirt on as well. He stares down at Rin’s duffel bag sitting innocently on his floor, thinking about impossibilities, and chance, and missed connections. </p><p>Now that Rin’s here, physically, actually in Haru’s house, he hardly dares to believe it. Rin’s bag is huge, and the backpack leaning against it is overstuffed as well. Rin’s always been an over-packer, but now Haru wonders. Just how long is Rin planning on staying? A thrill runs up his spine; clear excitement at the thought of Rin staying indefinitely. It’s less than two weeks or so until Christmas, after all. Could Rin stay that long? Even longer?</p><p>He takes a peek at the calendar on his wall again. 10 days to Christmas. It’s close enough for that tiny bubble of hope to expand in his chest. He would like it very much, if he got to spend Christmas alone with Rin. </p><p>Eventually, the shower rattles loudly, the way old pipes do before the water rushes out. Haru can’t help the smile that spreads across his face at the yelp he hears from the other side of the bathroom door. Finally, Haru crawls into bed, curling up so he can watch his open doorway. He wants to see Rin again, if only to confirm that this hasn’t all been some vivid, impossible dream. </p><p>But it seems like one minute he’s staring at the dim light under the bathroom door across the hall, and the next, a gentle hand is rubbing along his forehead, swiping hair out of his eyes.</p><p>“Move over, you giant useless lump,” Rin whispers. His voice is soft, more tender than Haru thinks he’s ever heard it. </p><p>“You,” Haru replies nonsensically. Someone has turned the lights out again, he notices when he squints one eye open blearily. Rin is kneeling on the floor beside the bed, hovering over Haru. His eyes are softer than he thinks he’s ever seen them before. “Go to sleep, Rin,” he adds.</p><p>“That’s what I’m trying to do.” </p><p>When Rin tries to pull away, Haru impulsively grabs onto his wrist. </p><p>“Don’t go,” Haru says.</p><p>“I’m not going anywhere.”</p><p>Eventually, he manages to push Haru enough until he’s made enough room where he can squeeze into bed beside him. Haru doesn’t mind his low grumbling. He’s mostly all the way back to sleep, anyway.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>For RinHaru week, day two. The theme is family. I chose the prompt: Home</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Haru wakes the next morning to an empty room. If not for the duffel bag--now unzipped and spilling all of Rin’s clothes like a messy wound--he’d think last night had been nothing but a dream. But there’s light footsteps heading his way from the living room, undeniably Rin’s even though he hasn’t heard them in a year or so.</p>
<p>Rin appears at the doorway; he leans his shoulder into the edge of the frame and crosses his arms.</p>
<p>“Morning sleepy-head,” Rin says, just a touch sarcastic.</p>
<p>Haru snuggles down deeper in his blankets and chooses to ignore him. Rin scoffs at his antics, but Haru keeps his eyes stubbornly closed for a moment, just to hear his scoff turn into a full-blown chuckle.</p>
<p>“Yeah, sure, keep sleeping,” Rin says. “After I go to all the trouble of frying you mackerel.”</p>
<p>“You haven’t,” Haru replies without opening his eyes. “I can’t smell it.”</p>
<p>“The oil’s heating up.”</p>
<p>Haru’s eyes squint open suspiciously. Rin’s smiling at him, like he knows exactly what Haru’s thinking. Maybe he does. Maybe Haru is just that predictable.</p>
<p>“Knew it,” Rin says when Haru finally decides that it’s worth the risk and claws his way out of bed.</p>
<p>The clock by his bedside reads 9:35, and Haru curses every training regimen that Rin has ever had that has him waking up earlier on the holidays. Rin disappears before Haru’s brain can boot up properly, which annoys him because he didn’t get to say anything bratty yet.</p>
<p>However, soon enough, he does hear the telltale crackle of fish frying in the kitchen. He stumbles around looking for a shirt. He distinctly remembers going to sleep wearing one, and when he finds it crumpled up and shoved under his pillow, he decides against it and pulls on a thin robe instead.</p>
<p>Following his nose into the kitchen, he finds Rin standing by his tiny stove, his blue apron tied at the small of his back. He turns, no doubt hearing Haru’s entrance; takes one long look at him and smirks devilishly.</p>
<p>“What’s with the yukata? What are you, a grandma?” he asks.</p>
<p>“Shut up,” Haru grouches, and collapses into one of two chairs in the small space.</p>
<p>“You’re so bitchy in the mornings,” Rin says.</p>
<p>He drops a plate in front of Haru, where a mackerel filet stares up at him. His annoyance with Rin halves. To keep his dignity in tact, Haru doesn’t answer. He does smile a little, though, when Rin hands him some silverware and their fingers graze ever so slightly.</p>
<p>Rin turns back to the stove. Haru eats his fish and wonders idly if the indoor pool at school might be open. Failing that, the pool for the national team.</p>
<p>“New year,” Rin says nonsensically, apropos of nothing.</p>
<p>Haru watches him while he expertly flips an egg in his pan. Neither of them say anything. When Rin turns to him again, there’s a sheepish expression on his face.</p>
<p>“I need a place to stay,” Rin explains, and now there’s a blush crawling up his neck. “Through the New Year. I was hoping--”</p>
<p>“That’s fine,” Haru says quickly, an answering blush painting his own cheeks. He swallows down the urge to say <em>stay as long as you like</em>. Instead, he takes another bite of his fish. “You don’t want to spend the New Year with your mom? Or Gou?”</p>
<p>“Maybe,” Rin hedges, although his blush has gotten deeper. He turns back to the stove, fiddles with some stuff Haru can’t see from his spot at the table, then turns back around holding a plate with two fried eggs and a smaller chunk of fish. “I need some time to myself,” he says, setting the plate across from Haru and sitting.</p>
<p>Haru doesn’t mention the glaring hypocrisy in that statement, and instead lets him eat his breakfast in companionable silence. He’s almost done with his fish when a knock at the door shatters the quiet.</p>
<p>“Haru,” Makoto’s voice calls from the other side of the house, accompanied by another series of knocks. “Haru, are you up?”</p>
<p>Just like that, Haru remembers with a shock that he was supposed to meet Makoto and his parents for breakfast today. Haru bolts up, ignoring Rin’s raised eyebrow, and rushes to the bedroom. Already, he can hear the telltale scuffling of Makoto opening the front door, and he curses--not for the first time--ever giving Makoto a key to his apartment.</p>
<p>“Haru, are you still in the bath?” Makoto calls. “Did you forget we--Rin?”</p>
<p>That’s when Haru snaps his bedroom door shut, so the rest of the conversation is muffled. Haru rushes through putting on a change of clothes. He isn’t sure why, he just knows that he absolutely shouldn’t leave the two of them alone in his living room unsupervised for very long. Unfortunately, that means he has to sacrifice bathing this morning. It’s a small price to pay, he thinks as he rushes back into the living room.</p>
<p>Makoto is laughing under his breath, while Rin fumbles with something, beet-red.</p>
<p>“Haru,” Rin says loudly. “Perfect timing. I’m going to shower.”</p>
<p>“Again?” Haru asks Rin’s quickly retreating back.</p>
<p>“Have fun with Makoto,” he calls over his shoulder, then slams the door to the bathroom closed.</p>
<p>Haru stares at it for probably longer than he should. Eventually, Makoto pulls him out of his thoughts with a hand on his shoulder.</p>
<p>“We’ll be late if we don’t leave soon,” Makoto says gently.</p>
<p>He nods, and after a few more seconds where he stares down his bathroom door, he follows Makoto out of the apartment.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Haru makes it back to his apartment at about eleven. He’s been so frustrated with his argument with Makoto that he must have forgotten about Rin. What else would cause the sudden weightless, breathless feeling in his heart when he spots Rin slouching on his couch, idly scrolling through his phone?</p>
<p>Rin looks up at the snap of the door shutting, a grin sliding up his face.</p>
<p>“How was breakfast with the Tachibana clan?”</p>
<p>“Ren and Ran were there,” he says cryptically, stepping over to the end of the couch and looking down at Rin, trying not to smile.</p>
<p>Rin barks out an easy laugh.</p>
<p>“So it was too loud,” he replies. There’s an infuriating, knowing smirk on his face, but Haru finds he can’t be too annoyed about it. “Did you have any other engagements today that I should know about?”</p>
<p>Haru shakes his head. He perches himself on the edge of the couch, where Rin’s legs have been splayed. He moves them up along the top, hooking his knee over the top of the couch. Haru watches the lazy way he kicks his foot.</p>
<p>“I was thinking we could go swimming later,” Rin says into the silence.</p>
<p>Haru turns to him, suspicious, but there’s a strange, unreadable expression on Rin’s face.</p>
<p>“It’s the middle of December.”</p>
<p>“I’m sure you know a place.”</p>
<p>Haru, of course, had been thinking the same thing just this morning. He also does know a place. It’s annoying that Rin’s guessed as much though. Rin laughs again, no doubt because of the scowl on Haru’s face. His foot taps against Haru’s back.</p>
<p>“I brought my switch,” Rin says. “Do you wanna play Mario Party?”</p>
<p>Haru’s eyes flicker to the TV screen; it’s only ever used when his friends come over. In fact it was a gift from the Iwatobi swim club, because when they’d first come over, Nagisa had been appalled to learn he hadn’t bothered to bring a TV to Tokyo.</p>
<p>“Okay.”</p>
<p>So they play. They play until Rin’s stomach starts growling too loudly to ignore, and then Rin bullies him into going back into the city for lunch.</p>
<p>“You’re such a terrible host,” Rin complains, especially when Haru can’t name a single place to eat.</p>
<p>They find a place that serves them sashimi in a room with a big mermaid mural, and Rin licks his fingers like an animal after each piece of fish. Haru complains that they won’t bring him slices of mackerel. Rin can’t seem to decide to be embarrassed about it or laugh it off. Haru’s chest feels tight at the trilling sound of his laugh.</p>
<p>Then, they take the train to Hinokicho Park, which Haru thinks would have been better in the summer when the flowers are blooming and the trees had their leaves. At least the cypress still looks nice. They walk around for a bit, then come to a stop at a bridge overlooking a small pond. Haru contemplates whether it would be deep enough to swim in.</p>
<p>“It’s too cold to try jumping in,” Rin warns, proving yet again that he can read Haru’s mind.</p>
<p>Haru scowls at him, but Rin’s smiling, so he lets it go. Rin’s actually dressed for the winter today; his beanie covering up most of his hair and his coat actually looks like it can keep out most of the winter chill. There are a few strands of Rin’s red hair that are fluttering slightly in the chilly breeze, though. Haru quells the sudden urge to tuck them behind Rin’s ear.</p>
<p>Instead, Haru settles beside him, leaning against the bridge’s railing. Rin is staring out into the water, his eyes a thousand kilometers away. Haru wonders what he’s thinking.</p>
<p>He doesn’t have to wonder for long. If he were to guess, he might say Rin brought him out here specifically to tell him something important. They always seem to have their heartfelt talks somewhere where he doesn’t need to look at Haru.</p>
<p>(Or else they have them centimeters apart, where all Haru can see are Rin’s angry eyes, where it feels like he might rip apart if he looks anywhere else. Those tend to be the arguments though; when it’s soft like this, romantic even, that’s when Rin tends to spill his secrets.)</p>
<p>“I was asked to join the Australian team,” Rin says, still staring out into the water. “For the Olympics.” When Haru is silent, he continues. “I got my dual citizenship last year. I--If I wanted to, I could.”</p>
<p>“Will you?” Haru asks.</p>
<p>Rin turns to Haru, staring at him intently, like he wants Haru to read his mind. Haru doesn’t say anything. Eventually, Rin sighs and looks back out over the water.</p>
<p>“I don’t know.”</p>
<p>Haru doesn’t know what to say. Should he be selfish, and ask Rin to join Japan instead? Would Rin rather they be on opposing teams?</p>
<p>Sometimes, it feels like he doesn’t know what Rin wants at all.</p>
<p>But then, Rin pushes off of the railing, and grabs Haru by the elbow.</p>
<p>“Come on,” he says with a crooked smile, “Let’s go find someplace to swim.”</p>
<p>But then sometimes, he knows exactly what Rin wants.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>They make it to Hidaka University as the sun is setting. There are a handful of students still wandering the campus, but none of them notice the two boys as they lazily make their way to the swimming complex. Late last semester, Haru discovered that one of the back doors to the place has a broken lock, so it’s easy enough to slip into the deserted building.</p>
<p>“I bet no one has ever called you a delinquent to your face, huh?” Rin says, but he slips in behind Haru just as well.</p>
<p>“In high school, once,” Haru mumbles in answer. “The second time we’d all broken into Samezuka.”</p>
<p>Rin’s laughter echoes in the stillness around them, so that he has to stifle it to avoid suspicion. Haru wishes he wouldn’t. They slip in easily enough, through the employee entrance and back through to the changing rooms, whose lights flicker on when they enter the room. Rin startles at the motion-sense lights, but he keeps going now that he’s got an idea of where he is. He follows after Rin, who’s already stripping out of his shirt before he even pushes open the double doors to the pool.</p>
<p>Haru has a strange sense of Deja vu, then has a very strange moment where he sympathizes with Makoto for putting up with his own bullshit when he trips over Rin’s skinny jeans. Haru takes his time unbuttoning his shirt for once, watching Rin. He’s already halfway across the pool, swimming furiously. Like he’s running from something. Biting back on the urge to call out to him, Haru dives in himself and follows after.</p>
<p>They swim like that for a long time. Silent, Rin pushes himself hard, and sets a punishing pace. Haru trails after him without needing to keep pace. Instead, he listens to the waves Rin displaces behind him, trying to find some clue for this sudden change in attitude. After almost an hour of this silent, would-be chase, Haru’s eyes catch on Rin meeting him mid-pool. He’s coming from the opposite edge of the pool, but he doesn’t even seem to notice Haru.</p>
<p>Acting on impulse, Haru kicks out abruptly, so that he turns and runs headfirst into Rin’s torso across the lane. They both flounder, sinking at the sudden impact and grabbing onto each other instinctively as they break the surface again.</p>
<p>“What the fuck,” Rin says, shaking his sopping hair out of his eyes.</p>
<p>The water’s shallow enough that it only comes up to Haru’s armpits. They’re both standing there, inches apart, watching each other. Rin is panting heavily, like he’s been pushing himself too hard this whole time. Haru thinks he may have already swam two kilometers.</p>
<p>“What’s wrong?” Haru finally says, after enough time has passed that Rin’s anger has faded away.</p>
<p>“Nothing,” Rin says, although Haru can definitely tell that he’s lying.</p>
<p>Haru doesn’t even bother replying to that. He just raises an eyebrow, waiting Rin out. Eventually, Rin sighs. He leans backwards, until he’s floating in the water and staring up at the dark ceiling above them. Haru wants to reach out to him. He wants to place his hand on Rin’s shoulder, or wipe the wet strands of hair out of his eyes. Anything to get the faraway look out of his eyes.</p>
<p>Anything to get him to stop looking so lost.</p>
<p>“It was supposed to be easy,” Rin says to the ceiling. His eyes flicker to Haru and then away. “Not getting there, obviously, I knew I’d need to work my ass off if I had a chance to compete on the global stage. But. I wasn’t supposed to feel all messed up about it. Like I was betraying something.”</p>
<p>“Rin,” Haru says, at a loss for what else to say. Rin finally stands again, facing Haru. His eyes are shining, and he rubs at them impatiently, wiping away phantom tears.</p>
<p>“I got into it with my mom,” Rin finally admits. “Twice. Well, one really long argument, I guess, spread out over several days. About a few different things. I guess she’d thought I was coming back home to compete on the National Team.”</p>
<p>“You still can.”</p>
<p>“I know,” Rin says. “But it’s--she didn’t even think it was a choice. Then that was a whole row about me coming back home to Iwatobi, and settling down, and starting a family--”</p>
<p>“Ah,” Haru says, remembering the half-started conversations with his own mother about that. “I’m sorry,” he says awkwardly when Rin just stares at him.</p>
<p>Rin huffs out a laugh at that. Haru wants to be offended, but if it pulls Rin out of his mood, he’s willing to be the butt of a joke.</p>
<p>“Come swim with me,” Haru says, grabbing him by the wrist.</p>
<p>“What do you think we’ve been doing?”</p>
<p>“Swim with me,” Haru insists, and then doesn’t leave Rin time to protest before he’s diving under again, pulling Rin by the wrist in with him.</p>
<p>He stays under instead of breaching the surface to start his stroke, watching the dark, blurry form in the water with him. He wishes he’d brought his goggles. Rin swims over to him, grinning like a maniac under the water. Even through the foggy haze, he can see the slash of his shark-white grin. He pushes Haru roughly before coming up for air.</p>
<p>“You’re crazy,” Rin’s voice says, but soon enough he’s taken another breath and dives in after Haru again.</p>
<p>This time, they do swim together. Haru eventually has to come up for air, and then they swim a lazy free, side by side--until they both start feeling competitive again. Soon enough, they race the length of the pool.</p>
<p>(Haru wins this time, by almost a full second he’d guess. He tries not to rub it in.</p>
<p>“You always wanna race me when I’m tired,” Rin complains when Haru was very pointedly not rubbing it in. “Next time, I’ll get you.”</p>
<p>Haru doesn’t doubt it.)</p>
<p>It ends up being quite late by the time they stumble home. They swim for almost three hours, and when they finally pull themselves out, they spend a long time in the changing rooms, shivering and cursing themselves for not bringing at least a towel. They mostly dry their hair under the hand-driers, and then they rush to the train station in their still-damp swimsuits, shivering but trying not to show it.</p>
<p>So it’s almost nine by the time Haru collapses into his couch at home, and Rin is grumbling again about being hungry.</p>
<p>“There’s mackerel in the fridge,” Haru says without bothering to open his eyes.</p>
<p>“I’m not eating mackerel for every meal,” Rin gripes, then he disappears into Haru’s room.</p>
<p>Haru closes his eyes, just for a second, letting the warmth in his chest expand over the aches from a long day of walking and swimming. He must doze for a little, because soon enough, the slamming of his front door startles him awake again.</p>
<p>Rin is holding two over-stuffed paper bags in his arms, and he stumbles over to the table in his dining room, where he sets everything heavily on the low-lying table. He kneels before it, mumbling to himself, before noticing Haru watching him.</p>
<p>“Finally awake, sleeping beauty?” Rin teases, pulling out a container from the bag and brandishing it at Haru. “I got us some fried rice.”</p>
<p>Haru feels a little like he’s dreaming, although that might be from taking a nap so late at night. He crosses to the table and collapses by it tiredly. A pastel purple drink appears at his side as well. He blinks up at Rin, who seems to look a little embarrassed.</p>
<p>“I got us some boba tea, too,” Rin explains. “I really like taro root.”</p>
<p>Haru takes a sip through the wide straw, his brow scrunched in concentration.</p>
<p>“It’s sweet,” Haru decides, chewing on his tapioca.</p>
<p>Rin shovels fried rice into his mouth. Haru suspects it’s to hide the stubborn blush climbing up his neck. They eat in relative silence, until Rin inexplicably sets his carton of fried rice down.</p>
<p>“I saw your calendar,” he says. At Haru’s raised eyebrow, he continues, “Were you planning on going somewhere?”</p>
<p>Ah, he thinks. He takes a bite of a shrimp to give himself some time. Rin is silent beside him, playing with the straw to his purple drink.</p>
<p>“My parents were going to fly out from Wuhan,” he finally settles on saying. “They had to cancel at the last minute.” He shrugs. “They weren’t really specific. Said they’d call me again later. It’s no big deal.”</p>
<p>“It’s a good thing I came, then.” Rin’s smiling again, but it’s softer than his normal look. A little shy. “I would hate it if you were spending the holidays alone.”</p>
<p>Haru tries not to think about how that makes him feel. It does bring a helpless smile to his own face, though. He wants to tell Rin that it feels right, to spend a holiday together. They’ve always hovered in a realm between labels: almost family, friends, a bond that survived years and grudges and thousands of miles. More and more, it feels like wherever Rin is could be enough to call it home. He takes another bite of rice and resists the urge to lean across the space between them and bury his face in Rin’s neck.</p>
<p>“I’m glad you’re here,” he says.</p>
<p>Rin smiles. He can’t seem to resist temptation, though, because next thing Haru knows, Rin’s slinging his arm around Haru’s neck and pulling him in for a hug.</p>
<p>“Me too,” Rin whispers.</p>
<p>There’s a spot of sunshine glowing in his chest, and it’s in the shape of Rin’s smile.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>We're really in it now folks</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>